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The ³Ô¹Ï´ó±¾Óª is happy to announce the recipients of the 2025 Staff Awards, which recognize and celebrate an outstanding level of dedication to the entire ³Ô¹Ï´ó±¾Óª community.Ìý

Michael LaFarr has received the Outstanding Service Award. As assistant vice chancellor of health and wellness in Student Affairs, LaFarr has been a tireless advocate for student well-being. He chairs the University Wellness Committee and co-chairs the Well-Being Task Force. He led the effort for ³Ô¹Ï´ó±¾Óª to sign the Okanagan Charter, a commitment to promoting health at an international standard. He also spearheaded the rollout of University-wide Mental Health First Aid Training. During the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, he played a critical leadership role in the campus public health response. And, under his leadership, ³Ô¹Ï´ó±¾Óªâ€™s Health and Counseling Center went from being unranked to achieving a prestigious #16 national ranking in the Princeton Review, reflecting his commitment to excellence and service quality.

Stacey Stevens has received the Staff Innovator Award. The executive director of employer connections and alumni career engagement in Career & Professional Services, Stevens proactively addresses trends in the job market for career-seeking students and alumni. She and her team created the new City Treks program, a daylong immersion that took 10 students to visit three employer sites, providing an up-close look at workplace cultures, facilities, and operations. Feedback from both students and employers was overwhelmingly positive, and Stevens’ team plans to expand this program across Colorado and the nation in coming years.Ìý

Cortney Hallagin has received the Crimson & Gold Civic Engagement Award. Hallagin, the former senior sales manager in Conference and Event Services, ensured that every event reflects the spirit and values of ³Ô¹Ï´ó±¾Óª. She also played a vital role in bringing new business and partnerships to the University, and she consistently went above and beyond to support the community.

The Office of Student Rights & Responsibilities has received the Quality Department Award. The SRR staff has demonstrated a commitment to equitable processes, direct communication, ethical behavior, and confidentiality when working with students, despite intense pressure, frequent misinformation, and other challenges. Among many examples of going above and beyond to support students, the staff has demonstrated extraordinary attention to accessibility; expanded its Strength in Accountability Workshop into a training program for Fraternity Life; improved the Academic Integrity process; improved the feedback process for the Honor Code; and created a pilot program for sealing student records.